Flexible spindle for centrifugal machines.



PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

I. P. B. KNUDSEN. FLEXIBLE SPINDLE FOR GENTRIPUGAL-MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1906.

a W K 0r raw LM Z 46% w n 8 r m Whzesss. 8a.? 7774? 7-way IVAR PETER BAGGER KNUDSEN, or COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

FLEXIBLE SPINDLE FOR CENTRlFUGAL-MAC-HINES- "Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 24, 1906. Serial No. 336,021,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IVAR PETER BAGGER KNUDsEN, director, a subject of Denmark, residing at 56 Svaneinollevej, Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flexible Spindles for Centrifugal Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flexible spindle for centrifugal drums or vessels and other similar rapidly-rotatable'bodies. The spindle is so constructed that the vibrations and oscillations occurring during the rotation will be prevented from causing any appreciable loss of power and from being transmitted to the driving mechanism, so as to act injuriously upon the durability of the latter.

A further distinguishing feature of the invention consists in the fact that notwithstanding its flexibility the length of the spindle remains constant, this pro erty serving to considerably promote stea y runmng 5 v in the form of a helix or is otherwise rendered on the part of the centrifugal drum.

According to the invention the. spindle is made hollow and for a portion of its length is flexible in said portion, so as to enable it to accommodate itself to the oscillations of the drum and prevent said oscillations being transmitted to the driving-shaft, which is situated below the spindle and connected to the latter either fixedly or loosely. In order to prevent the length of the spindle from becoming altered when bent, there is provided within the spindle a thin rod or the like which is capable'of supporting the weight of the centrifugal drum and of withstanding the strains thereby produced.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate various forms of the invention, Figure 1 is a partial vertical section through a centrifugal drum provided with one form of the improved spindle,-while Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections of modified forms of the flexible spindle shown separately. Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section through a flexible spindle which is fixed to the driving-shaft.

In Fig. 1, a is the centrifugal drum, formed with an upwardly-extending cavity in the bottom, so that a spring collar-bearing of any desired construction-as indicated, for exam le, at dmay be provided for the spindle b o the drum at or above the center of gravity of the latter. The s indleb, which is loosely connected to the 'ving-shaft f, by which it may be driven through the medium of any known device, is hollow and is made in the form of a helix throughout that part of its length which is situated below the collar-bearing, with the result that the spindle is rendered flexible at this portion and is thus enabled to follow the movementsof the elastic collar-bearing and of the drum (when the latter is caused to vibrate and oscillate during its rotation) without such vibration and oscillation being transmitted to the Patented March 12,1907.

driving mechanism and to the bearings of the latter.

In order to support the hollow spindle and to prevent alteration oi its length when bent, the spindle is provided with a core in the form of a thin rod C or the like, which is capable of supporting the weight of the drum and of withstanding any strains that may be generated. Instead of being in the form of a helix the spindle may also, as shown in Fig.

3, be formed with corrugations, as at 9,

along a ortion of its length, or it may be rendered elastic along a portion of its length by any other means.

The hollow flexible spindle may be closed at the top in one piece or, as shown in-Figs. 1,

2, and 4, by means of a plug e,-which is screwed in after the rod C has been inserted within the spindle, or, as shown in Fig. 3, the spindle may be composed of two parts,

which are screwed together or held together iii anyother way. In this case the plug e is unnecessary. Fig. 4 shows a form in which the flexible spindle is made in one with the driving-shaf t f Havin now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is .to be performed, I declare that what I claim"is 1. A flexible spindle having a hollow portion, and a rod located in the hollow portion and seated at op osite ends in the spindle to greventthe altering of the length of the spin 2. A spindle for centrifugal machines having a bearing ortion, a hollow flexible portion, and a ro located in the hollow flexible ortion and preventing the altering of the ength of the s indle.

'3. The com ination with the drum; of a 

